Synthetic Fibers

Synthetic fibers are the result of an extensive search by scientists to increase and improve upon the supply of naturally occurring animal and plant fibers that have been used in making cloth.

Common synthetic fibers include:

Rayon (1910)

Acetate (1924)

Nylon (1939)

Modacrylic (1949)

Olefin (1949)

Acrylic (1950)

Polyester (1953)

• PLA Polylactide (2002)

Specialty synthetic fibers include:

Vinyon (1939)

Saran (1941)

Spandex (1959)

Aramid (1961)

PBI (1983)

Sulfar (1983)

Lyocell (1992)

Other synthetic materials used in fibers include:

• Acrylonitrile rubber (1930)

Modern fibers that are made from older man-made materials include:

• Glass fiber is used for:

  • industrial, automotive, and home insulation (fiberglass)

  • reinforcement of composite and plastics

  • specialty papers in battery separators and filtration

• Metallic fiber (1946) is used for:

  • adding metallic properties to clothing for the purpose of fashion (usually made with composite plastic and metal foils)

  • elimination and prevention of static charge build up

  • conducting electricity to transmit information

  • conduction of heat

A Century of Laboratory Fibers

The dated list on this page is a history of twentieth century materials science in one column. The search began with regenerated cellulose — rayon and acetate, made from plant polymer — moved to the first fully synthetic polymer fiber, nylon, in 1939, and then diversified after the war: modacrylic and olefin in 1949, acrylic in 1950 and polyester in 1953 filled out the wardrobe basics, each trading some natural-fiber comfort for strength, easy care or low cost. The specialty entries mark targeted engineering: spandex (1959) for stretch, aramid (1961) for heat and ballistic resistance, PBI and sulfar (1983) for extreme environments. Lyocell (1992) returned the family to cellulose with a cleaner solvent process, and PLA polylactide (2002) brought a fiber fermented from plant sugars. Acrylonitrile rubber (1930) sits in the list as a reminder that fiber chemistry and rubber chemistry grew up together.

Why Synthetics Won Their Share

Each synthetic fiber exists because it does something a natural fiber cannot do as cheaply or as consistently: it can be made to a specified length, fineness and cross-section, produced year-round independent of harvests and flocks, and engineered for a single property — elasticity, flame resistance, conductivity, metallic shine. Glass fiber insulates buildings and reinforces composites rather than dressing people, and metallic fiber eliminates static and carries information as readily as it decorates a party dress. The trade-offs are equally real — moisture comfort, static, pilling and petroleum feedstocks — which is why the modern textile industry blends rather than chooses, spinning synthetics with cotton and wool to combine laboratory consistency with natural-fiber hand. Much of the synthetic fiber material collected here was copied with permission from Whole Earth magazine, No. 90, Summer 1997.